Information about Moldova

Territory:

Population: 2014 : 2,913,281 people

Official languages: Romanian, Gagauzian, Ukrainin, Russian.

Religion: 94% – Orthodox Christians

4%  – Evangelical Christians

Baptists:   15.879 people

Statistic overview:

ü  4% of the population of Moldova left the country for a better life- today Moldova is the poorest country in Europe.

ü  263.000 Children live in one parent family.

ü  80.000 children live without parents.

ü  8.000 children live in orphanages.

ü  176.000 handicapped people.

ü  86.000 people  are unemployed.

Baptist Church of Moldova 

God has traced a marvelous  way for the realization of  Bro Bill’s vision.

In 1999 God has brought Bro Bill in contact with the Moldovan Baptists from the Balti Bethany Baptist church, where he met wonderful, dedicated Christians who took up the CSI strategy and materials for their ministry. Since then the church grow in number and today the Moldovan Baptist Church looks like this:

Peter Legcun, the Bishop of the North Baptist Union of Moldova, Pastor of the Balti Baptist Bethany Church about CSI strategy

In one of his letters to Bill Davis,  Peter Legcun wrote:   “It is a great privilege for Balti Baptist Bethany Church and for the Baptist Union of Moldova to be a close friend of CSI. It is a privilege personally for me and my Church to work together Bro Bill Davis who gives us an opportunity to become a part of CSI strategy implementation in Eastern Europe, Russia and around the world.

We remember and cherish the conferences organized by Rev. Bill Davis in 2000 in my Church, which united Pastors from 36 churches from the North of Moldova. All pastors loved the strategy and the materials suggested by CSI for teaching the Bible, for personal evangelism. It gave a new vision and a new approach to Bible teaching and planting churches in Moldova.

Many pastors have been using the CSI materials all these years, which contributed greatly to their church growth both in numbers and in spiritual development. Today the North branch of the Baptist Union of Moldova involves 4998 members who belong to 146 Baptist Churches. A good number of these people joined church as a result of CSI strategy. People love the interactive method of teaching the Bible which opens to the non believers a clear picture of the plan of Salvation. The CSI method of Bible teaching is easy to use for  Christians. Moldova does need Christ and I am so happy to hear about your great plans in helping  me and the Baptist Union of Moldova  personally in bringing the Gospel to the lost”. Peter Legcun, Bishop of Northern Baptist Union of Moldova.

Bro Bill about the beginning of the CSI ministry in Moldova in 1999 

This is what Bill Davis, says about that time: “Dr. Ted Lindwall and I had a three day conference with thirty-two vacationing Moldovan missionaries serving in Russia.  These were 32 Christians who left their homes and left for Russian to bring the Word of God to a nation which has rejected God with the  coining  of Communists to Power. They left for Russia to bring the light of God to a nation which had abandoned faith.  I have seldom seen such dedication and sacrifice among a people. I was very much impressed about the 56 pastors, representing 78 churches of the North area of Moldova,  who were a part of the CSI conference. They  dearly loved and appreciated the CSI strategy and materials at the time and hopefully will love and appreciate them even more now that the materials have been updated, tested and proven on the field. I have not found greater dedication and cooperation among any people anywhere.

History of Balti Bethany Baptist Church  (1)

Balti Bethany Baptist Church was one of the first Baptist church of Moldova, founded in 1918. It became the cradle of Baptism in Moldova. Today it is the largest Baptist Church of Moldova, having 1459 members. It teaches the Gospel to children, teenagers, youth and adults, being the Center of evangelism and evangelistic training, Christian education and Missionary ministry in the North of Moldova. It has sent into the world more 150 missionaries who bring the Good News into the former Communist countries, where people were forbidden to talk and think about God. It is considered to be the Mother church to all churches up in the North of Moldova. It has started other 5 Baptist Churches in the city of Balti and 146 Churches in the North Region of Moldova.

Balti Bethany Baptist Church passed through periods of settlement and growth, persecution and flourishing, progress and development. It started in 1918 with a bundle of 6 members of the church, Baptists who came from Ukraine, and in 20 years this church grew up to 200 Baptists (see picture 1). These Christians and their children lived times of persecution and imprisonments both from the Romanians (between 1918- 1941) and the Communists who persecuted church between 1941- 1985, but remained faithful to Christ. Many great Pastors, men of God, who were put by God in this great Church to serve Him and help His people remain faithful to Him and bring the Christian faith to victory preserving Christian faith during the years of Communist persecution, which helped Christianity survive in Moldova.  It has great victories in Christ!

One of the brothers from Bethany church today is representing the Baptists in the Parliament of Moldova and in the European Parliament. His name is Valeriy Gheletschi. Bill Davis had a chance to meet Bro Gheletschi when he was the Bishop of the Baptist Union of Moldova in 1999. He received CSI and its strategy with much enthusiasm and love.